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03

Feb 2022

Last Updated: 02/02/2022
Health
Health

Harrogate and Ripon hospitals maintain visitor restrictions due to high covid rates

by John Plummer

| 03 Feb, 2022
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Regular visits ended two days before Christmas amid concerns about the Omicron variant. Although the government lifted Plan B measures last week, the trust that runs the hospitals has yet to lift the restrictions.

harrogate-district-hospital-3
Harrogate District Hospital.

The NHS trust that runs hospitals in Harrogate and Ripon is to maintain visitor restrictions while coronavirus case rates remain high.

Harrogate and District NHS Foundation Trust imposed restrictions at Harrogate District Hospital and Ripon Community Hospital on December 23 amid concerns about the Omicron variant.

It means visitors are only allowed for patients on end of life care, patients with a learning disability or severe cognitive impairment such as dementia. Parents or carers of children and birthing partners are also permitted.



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At the time, the hospital said it would review the restrictions regularly and relax them "at the earliest opportunity".

However, although the government removed all Plan B measures a week ago, the trust has yet to say when regular visits will resume.

A spokesperson for the trust said today:

"Visitor guidance has not changed since December 23, 2021, although it is regularly reviewed.
"While infection rates remain at the current levels, we need to maintain the current restrictions on visitors to our wards for the safety of our patients and staff.
"These restriction also still apply to those people wanting to accompany outpatients to their appointments.
"Anyone entering our hospital will also need to wear a mask, ensure they sanitise their hands and maintain social distancing."


Another 339 covid infections were recorded in the Harrogate district yesterday, bringing the seven-day average to 1,305 cases per 100,000 people — the highest in North Yorkshire and considerably above the England rate of 1,048.